7 takeaways from Dasuki’s family on the 2nd anniversary of his detention without bail

The Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki Progressive Association (SIDPA), which is made up of the entire members of Sultan Dasuki family, has asked the President Muhammadu Buhari government to respect the rule of law in the case of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and release him from detention.

At a press conference in Sokoto on Thursday to mark Dasuki’s second year in incarceration, the family, through its spokesman, Kabir Auwal, had the following things to say:

1. Dasuki secured his bail condition in December 2015 but the FG has refused to obey the courts and release him.

Four different federal courts have granted him bail.

The ECOWAS court has ordered the FG to release him and also ordered that he be compensated with N15 million.

2. The family cited the recent clash between officials of the DSS and EFCC to buttress its point that he ought to be released:

“Just recently the DSS had prevented the EFCC from arresting or interrogating the former DG of DSS Ita Ekpeyong by relying on the provision of a proclamation approved by General Abubakar Abdulsalam in 1999. The edict, titled Instrument No 1 of 1999, shields Security agencies from external audit and investigation of their financial dealings, making them subject to only presidential review. Why is this not applied to Sambo Dasuki who supervised and coordinated activities of the intelligence services when the instrument has not been nullified or replaced by a National Assembly-enacted Act,” the family asked.

3. The family also cited a recent quote by Pres. Buhari himself.

“While receiving a report on National Intelligence Agency (NIA) over Osborne Tower Scandal from Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, President Buhari in a statement by his Spokesperson Femi Adesina said the scandal ‘must be understood that this (investigation) cannot be done in a manner that jeopardises national security or exposes the operations of any intelligence Agency, which must, by nature be conducted in secrecy.’ Why is this not applicable to Sambo Dasuki who supervised those agencies during his tenure?”

4. The Dasuki family said that instead of Pres. Buhari’s government adhering to the rule of law, it has subjected the former NSA “to media trial, scandalized, criminalized, insulted and humiliated not through any court of justice but from the propaganda of the current administration through media trials of falsehood.”

5. The family also listed Sambo Dasuki’s previous service to the country.

“It is on record that Sambo Dasuki served this nation meritoriously in various capacities before his appointment as the National Security Adviser by the previous administration. It is public knowledge that Dasuki had served previous administration of General Muhammadu Buhari and General Ibrahim Babangida but was against dictatorial regime of General Sani Abacha, before he sought asylum outside the country where he teamed up with other Nigerians in the Diaspora to campaign against that military dictatorship and entrenchment of democracy.

“On the return to democracy, he remained abroad until the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo invited him to serve as Managing Director of Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company. He disengaged honourably after serving meritoriously to continue his business abroad before he was invited by President Goodluck Jonathan to serve as the National Security Adviser (NSA).

“Dasuki was appointed as NSA when Boko Haram was at its peak. It is on record that he recovered more than 24 towns from Boko Haram before the coming of the current administration and ensured that security strategies put in place facilitated the conduct of peaceful elections in 2015 across the country, including in the Northeast states without disruption by Boko Haram terrorism.

“In one of his official statement he had provided lists and proof of huge military equipment bought to prosecute the war on terror and how they engaged Nigeria’s neigbours to join in the efforts. Yet, the current government doesn’t want the truth to be told. In spite of Dasuki’s contribution in taming insecurity in the country, he has been the most maligned public officer through naked falsehood and mischievous information leakages that tend to portray him as a corrupt person.”

6. The statement lamented the fact that of all the officials who served under former Pres. Jonathan, Dasuki is the only one who has remained in detention for two years, yet has been granted bail by four courts.

“The FG’s sheer disregard for the rule of law in the last two years, especially as it affects Sambo Dasuki’s incarceration has become worrisome to Dasuki family even when we lost our Father Sultan Dasuki. No nation develops in the absence of rule of law, in which case her extant laws and judicial structures are respected ‎devoid of sentimentality and grudging impunity.”

7. The family said that Dasuki’s detention without bail is even more grievous because he is Buhari’s inlaw, whereas some “suspects on grievous charges of treasonable offence were released by this same government after clamour and outburst by their people.”

“Since we are not in a military junta but a democracy, Nigeria’s constitution should not be turned to Military decrees with which rights of citizens are trampled upon without question. We strongly call on the ‎Federal Government to respect rule of law and allow Sambo Dasuki to enjoy his bails, except if the intention of government is to kill him in detention,” the statement said.